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| Dallas Ebola patient in critical condition as two Europeans recover | Dallas Ebola patient in critical condition as two Europeans recover |
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| Health experts in Dallas are closely monitoring nine people whom officials believe had close contact with Thomas Eric Duncan, the first patient ever to be diagnosed with Ebola in the US. | Health experts in Dallas are closely monitoring nine people whom officials believe had close contact with Thomas Eric Duncan, the first patient ever to be diagnosed with Ebola in the US. |
| On Saturday, the Texas Health Presbyterian hospital in Dallas changed Duncan’s condition from serious to critical. | On Saturday, the Texas Health Presbyterian hospital in Dallas changed Duncan’s condition from serious to critical. |
| The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director, Thomas Frieden, said in a press conference on Saturday that health officials initially interviewed 114 individuals who may have had contact with Duncan, then narrowed the list to 50, the majority of whom are of very low concern. | The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director, Thomas Frieden, said in a press conference on Saturday that health officials initially interviewed 114 individuals who may have had contact with Duncan, then narrowed the list to 50, the majority of whom are of very low concern. |
| Among them are nine high-risk individuals, Frieden said, including Duncan’s family, who are currently quarantined and are at the “highest risk”. Frieden said they were being monitored more carefully, a process that requires checking their temperature for a fever twice daily. | Among them are nine high-risk individuals, Frieden said, including Duncan’s family, who are currently quarantined and are at the “highest risk”. Frieden said they were being monitored more carefully, a process that requires checking their temperature for a fever twice daily. |
| In Europe, meanwhile, two aid workers who became infected while working in Africa were reported on Saturday to have recovered. | In Europe, meanwhile, two aid workers who became infected while working in Africa were reported on Saturday to have recovered. |
| Duncan, from Liberia, moved to the US to marry the mother of his 19-year-old son, according to the Dallas Morning News. He is now in isolation and his partner and family are under quarantine. | Duncan, from Liberia, moved to the US to marry the mother of his 19-year-old son, according to the Dallas Morning News. He is now in isolation and his partner and family are under quarantine. |
| In a Saturday conference call with reporters, Judge Clay Jenkins, Dallas County’s director of emergency management, said the family were staying in a gated community and asked the public to understand the pressure they were under. | In a Saturday conference call with reporters, Judge Clay Jenkins, Dallas County’s director of emergency management, said the family were staying in a gated community and asked the public to understand the pressure they were under. |
| He said: “The people who are being monitored … are just like your family. [They] are brave, good people who are concerned about the public health, and obviously concerned about their own health.” | He said: “The people who are being monitored … are just like your family. [They] are brave, good people who are concerned about the public health, and obviously concerned about their own health.” |
| The Dallas County district attorney, Craig Watkins, told an NBC affiliate on Friday his office was investigating whether to press charges against Duncan, after Liberian officials said earlier this week he would be prosecuted for lying on a questionnaire that asked if he had come into contact with an infected individual. Authorities said he would not have been allowed to board his flight to the US had he responded truthfully. | The Dallas County district attorney, Craig Watkins, told an NBC affiliate on Friday his office was investigating whether to press charges against Duncan, after Liberian officials said earlier this week he would be prosecuted for lying on a questionnaire that asked if he had come into contact with an infected individual. Authorities said he would not have been allowed to board his flight to the US had he responded truthfully. |
| Days before departing for the US, Duncan helped take his landlord’s 19-year-old pregnant daughter to an Ebola treatment unit in Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. There wasn’t enough space at the hospital to treat the young woman and she was turned away. Duncan helped bring her back home, where she died hours later. | Days before departing for the US, Duncan helped take his landlord’s 19-year-old pregnant daughter to an Ebola treatment unit in Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. There wasn’t enough space at the hospital to treat the young woman and she was turned away. Duncan helped bring her back home, where she died hours later. |
| Duncan had visited the Texas Health Presbyterian hospital two days before he was told he had Ebola, but was sent home with a course of antibiotics. Earlier this week, the hospital said that due to a “flaw” in its electronic health record workflows, Duncan’s travel history had not been communicated from nurse to doctor on his first visit. But in a statement issued late on Friday, the hospital said there was no flaw in the electronic system, and that the patient’s travel history was “documented and available” to the entire medical team who treated Duncan on his first visit. | Duncan had visited the Texas Health Presbyterian hospital two days before he was told he had Ebola, but was sent home with a course of antibiotics. Earlier this week, the hospital said that due to a “flaw” in its electronic health record workflows, Duncan’s travel history had not been communicated from nurse to doctor on his first visit. But in a statement issued late on Friday, the hospital said there was no flaw in the electronic system, and that the patient’s travel history was “documented and available” to the entire medical team who treated Duncan on his first visit. |
| Duncan was placed in isolation on Tuesday. Jenkins said the quarantined family, which includes Duncan’s partner, her son and two nephews, had been moved to an undisclosed four-bedroom home in a gated community. Jenkins said he escorted the family to their temporary residence on Friday night, and added that the family will remain there until the end of the disease’s 21-day incubation period. | Duncan was placed in isolation on Tuesday. Jenkins said the quarantined family, which includes Duncan’s partner, her son and two nephews, had been moved to an undisclosed four-bedroom home in a gated community. Jenkins said he escorted the family to their temporary residence on Friday night, and added that the family will remain there until the end of the disease’s 21-day incubation period. |
| Jenkins said the home was donated by someone in the faith community, and added that it was a place he would want his family to stay in at such a time. | Jenkins said the home was donated by someone in the faith community, and added that it was a place he would want his family to stay in at such a time. |
| “I would not be getting into a car with the people who are being monitored, I would not be around, in their homes, assuring them if it were not safe to do so,” he said | “I would not be getting into a car with the people who are being monitored, I would not be around, in their homes, assuring them if it were not safe to do so,” he said |
| Until Friday, the family was forced to stay in the apartment where Duncan’s belongings remained. On Friday afternoon, a hazardous waste cleaning crew arrived to remove sweat-stained sheets and towels, among other materials. | Until Friday, the family was forced to stay in the apartment where Duncan’s belongings remained. On Friday afternoon, a hazardous waste cleaning crew arrived to remove sweat-stained sheets and towels, among other materials. |
| On Saturday, CDC director Frieden said the list of possible contacts with Duncan include family and friends in the community, hospital workers, ambulance crew and people who rode in an ambulance after Duncan. None were showing symptoms, he said. | On Saturday, CDC director Frieden said the list of possible contacts with Duncan include family and friends in the community, hospital workers, ambulance crew and people who rode in an ambulance after Duncan. None were showing symptoms, he said. |
| Frieden said the Dallas case had raised awareness among healthcare professionals across the country and that the CDC had received “well over” 100 inquiries about possible patients. All had tested negative for Ebola, except Duncan. | Frieden said the Dallas case had raised awareness among healthcare professionals across the country and that the CDC had received “well over” 100 inquiries about possible patients. All had tested negative for Ebola, except Duncan. |
| Later on Saturday, two passengers were pulled off a United Airlines flight from Brussels to Newark, New Jersey, after the crew reported that a person believed to be from Liberia had exhibited possible signs of Ebola. A man and his daughter were reportedly escorted from the flight by CDC officials dressed in full protective gear.United Airlines said in a statement after the flight arrived: “Upon arrival at Newark Airport from Brussels, medical professionals instructed that customers and crew of United Flight 998 remain on board until they could assist an ill customer.” | |
| An airport official subsequently told a local newspaper that CDC officials did not believe the pair were sick with Ebola. | |
| In Europe, the charity Doctors Without Borders said it had received confirmation from the French health ministry that a nurse had survived the disease. She was evacuated from Liberia and cared for at a hospital near Paris. In Germany, the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf said a Senegalese scientist who was infected in Sierra Leone had been discharged. | In Europe, the charity Doctors Without Borders said it had received confirmation from the French health ministry that a nurse had survived the disease. She was evacuated from Liberia and cared for at a hospital near Paris. In Germany, the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf said a Senegalese scientist who was infected in Sierra Leone had been discharged. |
| On Friday, the World Health Organisation said Ebola had now killed more than 3,400 people across the affected west African countries – principally Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone – out of 7,470 confirmed or suspected cases. The WHO also said 382 health workers have been infected, and more than half have died. | On Friday, the World Health Organisation said Ebola had now killed more than 3,400 people across the affected west African countries – principally Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone – out of 7,470 confirmed or suspected cases. The WHO also said 382 health workers have been infected, and more than half have died. |
| As part of the US response to the epidemic, more than 3,000 US military personnel have been tapped to go to west Africa to set up field hospitals, labs and treatment centers and provide logistical support. They will not treat Ebola patients. There are currently more than 230 soldiers in the region, the majority stationed in Liberia. | As part of the US response to the epidemic, more than 3,000 US military personnel have been tapped to go to west Africa to set up field hospitals, labs and treatment centers and provide logistical support. They will not treat Ebola patients. There are currently more than 230 soldiers in the region, the majority stationed in Liberia. |
| The Defence Department said on Friday that it could send as many as 4,000 troops to the region. “I want to make one thing real clear, that that’s a potential deployment,” said the Pentagon press secretary, John Kirby. “That doesn’t mean it is going to get to that number.” | The Defence Department said on Friday that it could send as many as 4,000 troops to the region. “I want to make one thing real clear, that that’s a potential deployment,” said the Pentagon press secretary, John Kirby. “That doesn’t mean it is going to get to that number.” |
| Kirby said the Pentagon was taking all precautionary measures to ensure the disease was not brought back to the US with the soldiers, including 21-day isolation for the highest-risk troops. | Kirby said the Pentagon was taking all precautionary measures to ensure the disease was not brought back to the US with the soldiers, including 21-day isolation for the highest-risk troops. |
| Senior White House officials said they hoped the US response to the Ebola crisis would galvanise the international community. | Senior White House officials said they hoped the US response to the Ebola crisis would galvanise the international community. |
| “The most important and effective thing we can do is control the epidemic at its source,” Lisa Monaco, President Barack Obama’s senior counter-terrorism adviser, said at a White House briefing. | “The most important and effective thing we can do is control the epidemic at its source,” Lisa Monaco, President Barack Obama’s senior counter-terrorism adviser, said at a White House briefing. |
| Amid calls for a travel ban on travellers from the affected countries, Monaco said that was not under consideration. She said isolating such countries could restrict essential aid from reaching victims of the disease, which could exacerbate the epidemic. | Amid calls for a travel ban on travellers from the affected countries, Monaco said that was not under consideration. She said isolating such countries could restrict essential aid from reaching victims of the disease, which could exacerbate the epidemic. |
| On Saturday, Frieden echoed Monaco, saying a travel ban could increase the risk of an outbreak in the US. He said airport checks had stopped 77 people from boarding flights, including 17 in September. He said there was not enough follow-up information to know if those people actually had Ebola. | On Saturday, Frieden echoed Monaco, saying a travel ban could increase the risk of an outbreak in the US. He said airport checks had stopped 77 people from boarding flights, including 17 in September. He said there was not enough follow-up information to know if those people actually had Ebola. |
| “We are not going to get to zero risk no matter what we do, unless and until we control the outbreak in west Africa,” he said on Saturday. | “We are not going to get to zero risk no matter what we do, unless and until we control the outbreak in west Africa,” he said on Saturday. |
| Across the US, health experts and officials have insisted that the US has the infrastructure and resources to combat the disease. The reason the disease is so deadly in west Africa is because of the poor health systems in place, they say. | Across the US, health experts and officials have insisted that the US has the infrastructure and resources to combat the disease. The reason the disease is so deadly in west Africa is because of the poor health systems in place, they say. |
| “The biggest misconception is its fatality rate,” said Aileen Marty, professor of infectious diseases at Florida International University, answering questions during a Reddit AMA. | “The biggest misconception is its fatality rate,” said Aileen Marty, professor of infectious diseases at Florida International University, answering questions during a Reddit AMA. |
| Marty spent a month treating Ebola patients with the WHO and CDC in Nigeria. | Marty spent a month treating Ebola patients with the WHO and CDC in Nigeria. |
| “Whether a person survives or doesn’t is greatly dependent on when they present for treatment,” she said, “having appropriate treatment and where they get it.” | “Whether a person survives or doesn’t is greatly dependent on when they present for treatment,” she said, “having appropriate treatment and where they get it.” |